The purpose of this study is to improve the ability to diagnose problems after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) and to test a drug that may improve the outcome from these injuries. Of the more than 1.5 million people who experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year in the United States, as many as 75% sustain a mild TBI which can cause long-term or permanent impairments/disabilities in a significant proportion of patients. In addition, traumatic brain injury has become a signature injury of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. For people with these injuries, it is difficult to determine whether symptoms are due to the head injury or another condition, such as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. In this project, there are 3 observational studies that involve testing of mental functions and behavior, imaging of the brain with special x-ray procedures, and blood samples to look at glandular function, which may be affected by head injury. A fourth study is a test of a drug, atorvastatin, which may provide protection for injured brain cells and improve outcome. By collecting and analyzing the information from these tests, it will be possible to make the process of diagnosing mild TBI or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) more precise, and also to see if atorvastatin is a helpful drug for patients with MTBI.

The Rivermead Post-Concussive Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ) is a 16-item self-report measure of the presence and severity of the 16 most commonly reported post-concussive symptoms found in the literature. The scale compares any current symptoms to pre-injury symptom levels to account for potential symptom exacerbation due to TBI. The range of scores is 0-64. Values for each of the 16 items include 0 (not experienced at all), 1 (no more of a problem than before the injury), 2 (mild problem), 3 (moderate problem), 4 (severe problem). The total score was a summation of symptoms that represented new symptom onset or an exacerbation of a symptom present pre-injury. (King, N.S., Crawford, S., Wenden, F.J., Moss, N.E., & Wade, D.T. [1995]. The Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire: A Measure of Symptoms Commonly Experiences after Head Injury and its Reliability. Journal of Neurology 242: 587-92.)

SF-12 is a self-report questionnaire that assesses functional health and well-being. There are 12 items in 8 subscales, including physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional, and mental health. Physical and Mental Health Composite Scores are computed using the scores of the 12 questions and range from 0 to 100, where a zero score indicates the lowest level of health measured by the scales and 100 indicates the highest level of health. Both Physical and Mental Health Composite Scales combine the 12 items in such a way that they compare to a national norm with a mean score of 50.0 and a standard deviation of 10.0. (Ware, J.E., Jr., Kosinski, M., Turner-Bowker, D.M., Gandek, B. How to Score Version 2 of the SF-12v2® Health Survey [With a Supplement Documenting SF-12® Health Survey] Lincoln, RI: QualityMetric Incorporated, 2002.)

SF-12 is a self-report questionnaire that assesses functional health and well-being. There are 12 items in 8 subscales, including physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional, and mental health. Physical and Mental Health Composite Scores are computed using the scores of the 12 questions and range from 0 to 100, where a zero score indicates the lowest level of health measured by the scales and 100 indicates the highest level of health. Both Physical and Mental Health Composite Scales combine the 12 items in such a way that they compare to a national norm with a mean score of 50.0 and a standard deviation of 10.0. (Ware, J.E., Jr., Kosinski, M., Turner-Bowker, D.M., Gandek, B. How to Score Version 2 of the SF-12v2® Health Survey [With a Supplement Documenting SF-12® Health Survey] Lincoln, RI: QualityMetric Incorporated, 2002.)

The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL) is a 17-item self report measure of the DSM-IV symptoms of PTSD. Respondents rate how much they were "bothered by a symptom" on a 5-point scale ranging from 1 ("not at all") to 5 ("extremely"). The PCL was scored as a total score (range 17-85), with higher total scores indicating more symptoms. (Weathers, F., Litz, B., Herman, D., Huska, J., & Keane, T. [October 1993]. The PTSD Checklist [PCL]: Reliability, Validity, and Diagnostic Utility. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, San Antonio, TX.)

The Connor-Davidson Resilience scale (CD-RISC) has 25 items, each rated on a 5-point scale (0-4), with higher scores reflecting greater resilience. The sum score has a range from 0 to 100. (Conner KM, Davidson JR. Development of a new resilience scale: the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale [CD-RISC]. Depress Anxiety 18[2]:76-82,2003].

The CES-D is a widely used screening scale for depression, assessing depressive feelings and behaviors occurring in the past week of a patient's life. The CES-D consists of 20 items, which make up six scales reflecting depressive symptomatology: depressed mood, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, psychomotor retardation, loss of appetite, and sleep disturbance. Each item is scored on a 4-point scale ranging from 0 (rarely/none of the time) to 3 (most/all of the time). Scores for items 4, 8, 12, and 16 are reversed before summing all items to yield a total score, which can range from 0-60. Higher scores indicate more depressive symptoms. (Radloff, LS [1977]. The CES-D Scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. App Psychol Meas, 1, 385-401.)

The BVMT-R is a measure of visuospatial memory. Six equivalent, alternate stimulus forms consist of six geometric figures printed in a 2 x 3 array on separate pages. In three Learning Trials, the subject views the stimulus page for 10 seconds and is asked to draw as many of the figures as possible in their correct location. A Delayed Recall Trial is administered after a 25-minute delay. Last, a Recognition Trial, in which the respondent is asked to identify which of 12 figures were included among the original geometric figures, is administered. Scoring of the immediate and delayed recall are based on the accuracy of the drawings and the location of the figures. For each figure, one point is awarded to each satisfactory domain resulting in a maximum of 12-points per trial.

The SDMT is a measure of divided attention, visual scanning and motor speed. This measure involves a coding key consisting of 9 abstract symbols, each paired with a number ranging from 1 to 9. The subject is required to scan the key and write down the number corresponding to each symbol as fast as possible. The number of correct substitution within 90 seconds is recorded. In the written version of the test the subject fills in the numbers that correspond to the symbols. In the oral version the examiner records the numbers spoken by the subject. The score is the number of correctly coded items from 0-110 in 90 seconds. A higher score indicates better performance.

The SDMT is a measure of divided attention, visual scanning and motor speed. This measure involves a coding key consisting of 9 abstract symbols, each paired with a number ranging from 1 to 9. The subject is required to scan the key and write down the number corresponding to each symbol as fast as possible. The number of correct substitution within 90 seconds is recorded. In the written version of the test the subject fills in the numbers that correspond to the symbols. In the oral version the examiner records the numbers spoken by the subject. The score is the number of correctly coded items from 0-110 in 90 seconds. A higher score indicates better performance.

Of 200 MTBI subjects enrolled, 1:1 randomization will be used to assign half (i.e 100) to the treatment arm of the phase II drug trial of atorvastatin. These subjects will receive a daily weight-based dose of atorvastatin 1mg/kg (up to 80 mg) for seven days and started within 24 hours of MTBI, and their outcome will be compared with the group of subjects receiving a placebo.

NOTE: The 100 Orthopedic Injury subjects recruited for and participating in the Observational studies are not included in the Medication study portion of this protocol.

Drug: Atorvastatin

In this Phase II randomized clinical trial of 200 MTBI subjects to evaluate atorvastatin as a neuroprotective agent, subjects will receive either active drug or placebo (1:1 randomization) for 7 days, starting within 24 hours of the brain injury. The dosage for subjects in the treatment group will be weight-based at 1mg/kgm, up to 80 mg, which will be the maximal dose. Subjects will be monitored at 3-4 days after injury by phone, then with follow-up visits at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months.

Other Name: Lipitor®

Placebo Comparator: MTBI subjects randomized to placebo

Of 200 MTBI subjects enrolled, 1:1 randomization will be used to assign half (i.e 100) to the placebo arm of the phase II drug trial of atorvastatin. These subjects will receive a daily dose of an inert preparation, visually indistinguishable from the active agent. They will take this preparation for seven days, started within 24 hours of MTBI, and their outcome will be compared with the group of subjects receiving active drug.

NOTE: The 100 Orthopedic Injury subjects recruited for and participating in the Observational studies are not included in the Medication study portion of this protocol.

Drug: Placebo

In this Phase II randomized clinical trial of 200 MTBI subjects to evaluate atorvastatin as a neuroprotective agent, subjects will receive either active drug or placebo (1:1 randomization) for 7 days, starting within 24 hours of the brain injury. For the placebo group, subjects will take a daily dose of an inert preparation, visually indistinguishable from the active agent. They will take this preparation for seven days, started within 24 hours of MTBI, and their outcome will be compared with the group of subjects receiving active drug. Subjects will be monitored at 3-4 days after injury by phone, then with follow-up visits at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months.

Of the more than 1.5 million people who experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year in the United States, as many as 75% sustain a mild TBI (MTBI) which can cause long-term or permanent impairments/disabilities in a significant proportion of patients. In addition, traumatic brain injury has become a signature injury of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

One of the most difficult diagnostic problems is separating the effects of MTBI and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), because signs and symptoms of these conditions often overlap. Early and accurate diagnosis of MTBI and its differentiation from both acute stress disorder (ASD) and PTSD are a major priority for military medicine due to overlap in symptoms (e.g., attention problems) and the frequent lack of external signs or even self-awareness of MTBI, especially in association with blast injury.

The major goals of this project are to improve the ability to diagnose mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) and to test a drug, atorvastatin, which may improve outcome after MTBI. To accomplish these goals, 200 MTBI subjects and 100 orthopedic injury (OI) subjects, for comparison purposes, will be recruited for variety of clinical evaluations and a phase II drug trial. Only the MTBI subjects will participate in the phase II drug trial, and these subjects may choose to participate only in the observational studies, declining the drug trial.

Potential subjects will be identified in the Emergency Departments (EDs) of two level I trauma centers, located within a few blocks of each other in Houston, Texas. Once discharged from the ED, subjects will be enrolled and baseline procedures will be performed, including behavioral/cognitive testing, sample collection, and medication teaching, including the first dose of study drug. Subjects will be followed by phone at Day 3-4 during the 7-day dosing period of the drug trial, then with return visits for all subjects at one week, one month, three months, and six months after injury.

We hypothesize that in comparison with OI subjects, the MTBI group will exhibit slowing of EEG frequency, alteration of cerebral white matter microstructure on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and cognitive deficit within 24 hours after injury. We also hypothesize that MTBI subjects will show recovery in their EEG frequency and cognition over six months following injury despite residual white matter injury on DTI. We will also collect two plasma samples and a saliva sample, the first within 24 hr of injury (baseline) and the second at six months post-injury, for measurement of potential biomarkers and genetic studies.

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) will be used to detect and characterize focal abnormalities in neurophysiological function in subjects with MTBI diagnosed with PTSD for the purpose of distinguishing between the two. MEG is a completely non-invasive imaging modality which is able to provide information regarding focal abnormalities in the brain. MEG has been shown to be sensitive to cognitive complaints in patients with MTBI and to be more sensitive to these deficits than EEG. In addition, neurophysiological abnormalities found through testing can differentiate patients with MTBI and PTSD in some studies. Thus, we propose to explore the relationship between DTI and MEG findings which may lead to identification of more distinct, replicable patterns of brain abnormalities in subjects with PTSD and MTBI that may lead to better differentiation between these groups of patients and improve diagnostic precision, as well as from patients with a combination of both disorders.

A separate analysis is designed to examine the incidence and effects of hypopituitarism after MTBI. The incidence of hypopituitarism after MTBI is not known. However, in patients who have persistent symptoms at one year post-injury, 35% have been found to have deficiency one or more pituitary hormones. The clinical characteristics, MRI imaging results, EEG and MEG results of the patients who have pituitary deficiency will be compared to those of patients with normal pituitary function. The relationship between pituitary dysfunction and functional outcome, cognitive recovery, and resolution of PCS will be examined as well.

The final component of this protocol is a Phase II randomized clinical trial of the 200 MTBI subjects to evaluate atorvastatin (Lipitor®) as a neuroprotective agent for the treatment of MTBI. The primary endpoint for this trial is three months. This trial will examine the effects of atorvastatin, given orally in a dose of 1mg/kg (up to 80 mg) for seven days, on the development of post-concussive symptoms (PCS), PTSD symptoms, cognitive recovery, and functional outcome at 3 months post-injury, on recovery of EEG and MEG at 3 months post-injury, and on changes in DTI imaging, as well as any effects on liver function.

In conclusion, traumatic brain injury has become the signature injury of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and many veterans with mild TBI find their injuries overlooked and misunderstood. The goal of the Mission Connect Mild TBI Translational Research Consortium is to find answers to the challenging questions associated with the diagnosis and treatment of MTBI. The four studies in this Integrated Clinical Protocol begin that process.

exclusions related to atorvastatin, including currently taking any statin drug (atorvastatin, simvastatin, rosuvastatin, pravastatin, lovastatin, fluvastatin), no longer taking a statin drug but history of use within the last six months, previously taking any statin drug at any time but now discontinued due to side effects, taking any medication with known interactions with atorvastatin (cyclosporine, fibric acid derivative, erythromycin, clarithromycin, combination of ritonavir plus saquinavir or lopinavir, niacin in doses exceeding multivitamin dosage, or azole antifungals), active liver disease, history of unexplained persistent elevation of serum transaminases, and hypersensitivity to any component of atorvastatin.

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01013870

Locations

United States, Texas

Baylor College of Medicine/Ben Taub General Hospital

Houston, Texas, United States, 77030

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston/Memorial Hermann Hospital